The Southern Ark Project

The Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes, is increasingly regarded as one of the major threats to mammalian biodiversity on the Australian mainland. All State and Federal conservation agencies consider that reduction in fox numbers will have a beneficial effect on native fauna, and there have been some very positive results in a number of States where large-scale fox control programs have been implemented.

The Southern Ark project aims to facilitate the recovery of native animals and improve the stewardship of public land in East Gippsland, Victoria, through an integrated, large scale fox control program that is maintained year-round. It represents the first large-scale attempt to control foxes in natural ecosystems in eastern Australia. This program will rely on the establishment and maintenance of approximately 5,000 permanent bait stations across one million hectares of public land (State forest and National Parks and Reserves). This area of land represents 5% of the State of Victoria.